Friday, 4 November 2016

Grilled Cauliflower Steaks with Sriracha and Sweet Potato Wedges

Vegan Mofo prompt today is Eating Out.   Truth is I don't eat out much.  I even make my lunch for work.  The times when we find ourselves eating out is when we are in the city of Bristol or on holiday and then I get excited and make a list of places I want to eat at.   We went to Brighton a couple of months back for a short break and I ate at two vegetarian restaurants reputed for serving  fine dining cuisine. These two places Terre e Terre and Food for Friends,  you can see my Brighton Eats blog post here.   

Back home in Wales, we have seen a rise in  the number of fantastic independent vegetarian eateries, especailly in the last five years.  The majority of these are crammed in the city of Cardiff, the capital of Wales including its first 100% vegan cafe.  You will also find some vegetarian and vegan eateries in other parts of Wales, such as The Quarry Cafe in Machynlleth, Mid Wales, Waverly Vegetarian Restaurant in Camathenshire and remember Hunky Dory's in Newport (now closed, but left a legacy by influencing non-vegetarian eateries to put slightly more interesting vegan and vegetarian options on their menu).  What all these places have in common is that they all serve down to earth, honest food - the kind of food I make at home.  However, there is not yet a 100% vegetarian or vegan restaurant with the Accolade of vegetarian fine dining  - haute cuisne - a gap that no doubt will be filled in the next few years, especially as there are a handful of excellent vegan and vegetarian supper clubs emerging yet again in Cardiff.  I love Cardiff but it is not my turf.  I am a Townie, and these day more Valley girl.  Regardless, I will still I will wave the flag for Wales. 
Anyway, here is my attempt at fine dining at home, a dish with lots of components. It is still missing a drizzle of sauce, something like a tahini lemon sauce and a bit of crunch perhaps by some spiced crushed nuts like a dukkah or even  three seed coconut bacon.  So this is work in progress. 
Its a combination of Cauliflower Steaks and Cauliflower Buffalo Wings I've made in the past, served with sweet potato wedges and sauteed purple kale that I picked from the farmers market. D really enjoyed this meal.  The cauliflower was cooked just right, tender but still with some bite and the Sriracha sauce had crept into the crevices of the cauliflower florets making them plump and juicy.

For the sweet potato wedges see here.
For the Grilled Cauliflower and Sriracha Sauce
Serves 2
1 large cauliflower
50ml olive oil
100ml sriracha sauce
For the cauliflower, slice it in half through the stem, then slice again.  You should have four steaks, keep the florets too.
Heat a little oil in a wide pan, then add in the cauliflower steaks and cook turning once after 8 - 10 minutes on each side or until browned.
Transfer to a greased baking tin, then brush with the chilli sauce. Bake until tender around 10 minutes.  
Serve with some sauteed greens. 
Optional garnish
Tahini Lemon Drizzle
Three Seed Coconut Bacon


  1. I used to love the Terre e Terre restaurant when we lived near Brighton. Superb food and always a great atmosphere :-)

    1. So good to hear from you Stephanie Jane, we loved the food - would def. go again.

  2. This sounds fun! Cauliflower steak is always so impressive. It's a shame there aren't many fine dining options for vegans in your area yet, but as you say, the tide is probably turning.

    1. The tide is def. turning, so I wait patiently - I haven't had a chance to visit those supper clubs either :( but hope to one day.

  3. This looks so good! Fine dining indeed! I need to make more cauliflower dishes like this, so good in the autumn.

    1. Thank you. I have another cauliflower dish to share later on, i have over the years come to like cauliflower would you believe, used to hate it once - mostly the smell.



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